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Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 124 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

Make a worksheet

Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

Words on the sheet
468
Word bank
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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: straw · jam · bass · leaves · scale · dip · kick · lean

  1. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  2. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  3. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  4. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  5. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  6. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  7. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  8. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  9. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  10. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  11. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  12. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  13. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  14. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  15. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  16. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  17. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  18. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  19. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  20. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  21. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  22. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  23. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  24. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. leaves — to go away
  2. scale — in music
  3. dip — to dunk
  4. leaves — lets stay
  5. scale — for weighing
  6. kick — with a leg
  7. scale — size or range
  8. leaves — of a tree
  9. dip — to sink
  10. lean — to bend
  11. lean — to rest against
  12. kick — a thrill
  13. bass — low music
  14. jam — a tight spot
  15. straw — a straw man
  16. dip — a sauce
  17. lean — thin
  18. bass — the fish
  19. straw — dry grass
  20. kick — in football
  21. jam — in traffic
  22. jam — to spread on bread
  23. bass — the instrument
  24. straw — to clutch at straws

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

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Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com